When the muse meets the gurney: staying a writer when life refuses to cooperate

We’ve all been there. You have the vision, the character arcs, and that one perfect line of dialogue etched into your soul—and then life decides to rewrite your entire schedule.

As writers, we often feel like if we aren’t putting words on a page, we’re losing our “membership” to the craft. We think if the manuscript isn’t growing, the writer in us must be shrinking.

But I’ve spent the last few years learning that writing isn’t just a verb. It’s a way of seeing.

It’s been a long time since I sat in this digital space with you. Why? Because life happened in the loudest, most physical ways possible.

I spent nearly a decade as the primary caregiver for a dear friend, a journey that recently came to a heartbreaking end with her passing. Amidst the emotional weight of caregiving and grief, my own body decided to join the fray. I took a fall down the stairs that resulted in a torn quad tendon, followed by surgery and months of grueling rehab.

When you’re navigating death, grief, and learning how to walk again, “finding time to write” can feel like a cruel joke. For a long time, my writing was the first thing to be sacrificed. But lately, I’ve found a way back. I’m getting better at staying consistent, even when the world is chaotic.

How to stay “in character” when you can’t get to the keyboard

If you are in a season of interruptions, here is how I’ve learned to keep the pilot light on, so the fire doesn’t go out:

Switch your background apps: I used to have “business” or “to-do lists” running in the back of my mind at all times. Now, I’ve intentionally switched the background app to my story. Even while I’m in physical therapy or sitting in a hospital room, I let my characters walk through their world in my mind. Thinking is writing, too.

The power of the pivot (write small): If a 98,000-word manuscript feels like a mountain you can’t climb today, write a poem, a piece of flash fiction or 100 words of anything. I joined writing teacher Alan Watt’s challenge where you log 100 words a day to help stay consistent. Writing something small allows you to see a finished result immediately. It proves to your brain that you’ve still “got it” without the exhaustion of a marathon session.

Inhale your genre: On the days when the words just won’t come out, let them come in. Reading in your genre before bed keeps your brain attuned to the rhythm and tropes of the world you’re building. It’s “passive research” that pays off when you finally do sit down.

Acknowledge the interruptions: Stop fighting the fact that life is messy. Instead of feeling guilty that you aren’t writing, look at the “interruption” as potential fuel. The grief, the physical pain, the recovery—it’s all texture that will eventually make your prose deeper and more resonant.

My writing used to be the first thing to go. Now, it’s the thing that keeps me going

What’s next?

I have so much more to share with you, including a deep dive into a recent virtual pitch event that changed the way I look at my manuscript. Stay tuned—the words are flowing again.

How do you stay connected to your creative self when life gets in the way? I’d love to hear your “survival tips” in the comments.